Convertible dump-car.



No. 719,796. PATENTED FEB. 3, 1903. H. s. HART.

CONVERTIBLE DUMP GAR.

' APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 14, 1902.

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PATENTED FEB. a, 1903. H. s. HART. CONVERTIBLE DUMP OAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1902.

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No. 719,796. PATENTED FEB. s, 1903.

H. s. HART.

CONVERTIBLE DUMP GAR. APPLICATION FILE-D Nov. 14, 1902.

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIARRY STILLSON HART, OF CHI OAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL COALDUMP CAR COMPANY, OF RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPO- RATION OF SOUTHDAKOTA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,796, dated February3, 1903.

Application filed November 14,1902. Serial No. 131,424. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY STILLSON HART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Dump-Oars,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of dumpcars which may be used forcarrying different kinds of freight at different seasons of the year orto meet dilferent circumstances and conditions of the railroad itself,and particularly to the combination, construction, and arrangement ofthe difierent mechanisms which go to form a convertible car, as willmore fully hereinafter appear. 7

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple,economical, and efficient convertible dump-car that may be used to carrydifferent kinds of freight-t. e., coal or similar bulky freight when theparts are arranged in one position and heavy ores or similar materialwhen the parts are arranged in a second position. 7 2 5 Further objectsof the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the5 divide the car, as desired, into small dump ing-compartments at eachend and over the car-trucks when in their closed position and to carryheavy freight therein, and when moved to open position to form onedumpingcompartment forthe carryingofbulkyfreight.

The invention consists, further, in a convertible'dump-car of the classdescribed in which there are combined a supporting-framework providedwith side and end boards eX-.

tending upwardly therefrom, a dumping bottom portion extending theentire length and between the end boards of the car, and foldablebulkheads pivotally secured to the sides of the car, so as to be movedinto a closed position and provide small end dumping-com- 5o partmentsfor the carrying of heavy freight directly over the car-trucks and to beswung back into a second position against the sides of the car toprovide a single dumping-compartment for the carrying of bulky freight.

The invention consists, fu rther and finally, in the features,combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanyingv drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of acar constructed in accordance with these improvements looking at it fromabove; Fig. 2, across-sectional elevation taken on line 2 of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3, a cross-sectionalelevation taken on line 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of thearrow and showing the dumping-doors in closed position; and Fig. 4:, aperspective view of the car, showing the bulkheads in closed positionand the bottom dumping-doors on one side of the car open and the otherbottom dumping-doors on the other side closed, looking at the same aboveand directly in front of the car.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that theprincipal railroads of the country have to provide a large num ber ofcars to meet the conditions necessary for the transportion of differentkinds of freight, to provide one kind of cars for the carrying of onekind of freight, another kind of cars for another kind of freight, andso on. It is well known that dumping-cars adapted for the carrying ofrelatively light but bulky freight, such as coal and the like, are notusually adapted for the carrying of heavy freight, such as heavymetallic ores, for the reason that the shipper is apt to load thefreight at any portion thereof, and while the car will carry light bulkyfreight and not in any way injure or strain the parts thereof, heavyfreight, such as ore, being disposed on tirely over or at the center ofthe car is apt to cause it to flex or sag considerably more than issafe, thereby rupturing or breaking 5 the parts and destroying the car.

The principal object, therefore, of this invention is to provide a carof such construe tion and arrangement that it may be used at certainseasons and under certain conditions for the carrying of light bulkyfreight, such as coal and the like, without any danger to the car andalso provide means by which the car may be converted into another typefor the carrying of heavy freight by the disposition thereof in certainportions of the car where the structure is arranged to withstand theheaviest strains and. stress, all of which will more fully hereinafterappear.

In illustrating and describing a car constructed in accordance withthese improvements I have only illustrated and described that which Iconsider to be new taken in connection with so much that is old as willproperly disclose the invention to others and enable those skilled inthe art to practice the same, leaving out of consideration other andwell-known elements, which, if set forth here, would only tend toconfusion, prolixity, and ambiguity.

In constructing a car in accordance with these improvements I provide asupportingframework formed of side sills (1, end sills b, cross-sills 0,center and intermediate sills d and e, to which are secured and mountedside boards f and end boards g. To provide a bottom for the car whichwill carry almost any desired kind of freight, such as coal or similarrelatively light bulky freight, and

permit the discharge of the same by means of such bottom and in anautomatic manner to the outside of the usual car-trucks, I provide abottom portion formed of three central apex or A-shaped sections, whichoccupy what I prefer to term high and low levels-- that is, the apex hat each end of the car is arranged directly over the usual car-trucksand at high levels, while the apext'is arranged between the trucks andat a lower level; but all of such apexes are arranged substantially inline with each other and with the longitudinal center of the car.

Pivotally secured to the framework of the car at or near thefloor-level, so as to form practical continuatious of the A-shaped apexportions, is a plurality of dumping-doors and lo, which are pivoted sothat their free ends extend outwardly toward the sides of the car andwhen dropped into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 form substantialcontinuations of the central apex portion and a partof the inclineddumping portions. By this arrangement it will be seen that material maybe discharged the entire length of the car to a point outside of theusual supporting-wheels. These doors can be folded or swung upwardlyinto substantially horizon tal planes and form a flat bottom for thecar, thereby permitting the transportation of the desired kind of bulkyfreight. To open and close these dumping-doors, rotatable shafts Z areprovided, one arranged at each side of the car and supported in suitablebearings just inside the side boards thereof in housings m and providedwith chains 71, which secure them to the free ends of the doors, so thatas the shafts are rotated in one direction the chains are wound aroundthe same and the doors raised thereby, and when the shafts are rotatedin an opposite direction the doors are permitted to drop into openposition. The housing protects the chains and shafts from the injuriouswearing action of the freight during transportation.

While, as above described, the car may be used for the transportation ofbulky freight, such as coal, when the parts are arranged to form onecompartment, yet it is desirable that under certain conditions andduring certain seasons when the cars cannot be used for such purposesthey may be used for other purposes, and particularly that means heprovided by which they can be used for the transportation of heavyfreight, such as metallic ores, &c. In arranging for this purpose it isnecessary that means be provided that will assist in confining the heavyfreight to those portions of the truck directly above the car-trucks, soas to minimize the development of injurious stress and strain on therest of the car during its ordinary usage. In order to provide suchmeans, a plurality of side posts 0 is provided, which are secured to theunderframing of the car and also act to assist in holding the sideboards of the car in position. Pivotally secured to two sets of theseside posts at p are two sets of swingingbulkheads q, so arranged thatwhen they are swung to their closed position they form a bulkhead clearacross the car at a point just inside the usual supporting car-trucks,and at the inner ends of the higher level central A-shaped portionsacting to form three compartmentstwo relatively smaller at or near eachend of the car, just above the trucks, for the carrying of heavyfreight, and one larger one at the center of the car and between thecar-trucks, which ordinarily should not be used for the carrying of anyfreight When the smaller ones are-in use. To hold these bulkheads intheir closed position, so as to form small compartments for the carryingof heavy freight, as above described, each of such swinging bulkheads isprovided with perforated lugs or straps r, in which a sliding bolt 8 ismounted, so that it may be moved forward and passed through all suchperforated lugs or straps, with its handle portion 25 turned downwardlyin locking engagement with a bracket M, which prevents any backward orunlocking movement until such handle is again moved upwardly.

When it is desired to use the car for carrying bulky freights, theselocking-bolts are turned upwardly and outwardly and slid backwardly, soas to be in engagement with one door, particularly as shown inconnection with Fig. 1, which permits the bulkheads to be swungoutwardly and backwardly against the side posts of the car, as shownfreight in the car will so hold them.

I claim- 1. In a convertible dump-car of the class described, thecombination of a supportingframework provided with side and end boardsand a dumping bottom portion extending the entire length and between theend boards of the car, and movable bulkheads secured to the frameportion to divide the car into small dumping-compartments at each endand over the usual car-trucks when in their closed position and whenmoved into open position to form one large dumping-compartment for thecarrying of bulky freight, substantially as described.

2. In a convertible dump-car of the class described, the combination ofa supportingframework provided with side and end boards extendingupwardly therefrom, a dumping,

bottom portion extending the entire length and between the end boards ofthe car, and foldable bulkheads pivotally secured to the sides of thecar so as to be moved into aclosed position and provide small enddumping-compartments for the carrying of heavy freight directly over theusual car-trucks and to be moved back into a second or open positionagainst the side boards of the car to provide a single largedumping-compartment for the carrying of bulky freight, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a convertible dumping-car of the class described, the combinationof a supportingframework provided with upwardly-extending side and endboards and dumping bottom portions extending the entire length andbetween the end boards of the car, swinging bulkheads pivotally securedto the sides of the car and adapted to be swung into closed position soas to form small end compartments for the carrying of heavy freightdirectly over the usual car-trucks, and means for locking the bulkheadsin their closed position, substantially as described.

4. In a convertible dump-car of the class described, the combination ofa supportingframework provided with side and end boards extendingupwardly therefrom and a dumping-bottom formed of A-shaped centerportions arranged at or near the longitudinal center of the car andextending substantially the entire length thereof between the end boardsand having swinging dumping-doors hinged thereto with their free ends incontact with the side portions of the car, and swinging bulkheadspivotally secured to the side frames of the car at or near each endsubstantially at equal distances from a trans verse central line so asto provide, when in closed position, small compartments directly overthe car-trucks for the carrying of heavy freight and when swung backagainst the side boards of the cara single dumping-compartment for thecarrying of bulky freight, substantially as described.

; 5. In aconvertible dumping-car of the class described, the combinationof a supportinga framework provided with side and end boards extendingupwardly therefrom, a dumping bottom portion or portions extendingsubstantially the entire length of the car between the end boards andformed of a central A-shaped portion having hinged doors, the free endsof which extend outwardly therefrom in contact with the side frames ofthe car, movable bulkheads in connection therewith and arranged when intheir closed position to divide the car into two small end compartmentsfor the carrying of heavy freight directly over the car-trucks and asingle dumping-compartment for the carrying of bulky freight when intheir open position, and means for locking and holding the bulkheads intheir closed position, substantially as described.

a, 6. In a convertible dump-car of the class described, the combinationof a supportingframework provided with upwardly-extending side and endboards and dumping bottom portions arranged substantially the entirelength of the car between the end boards formed of an A-shaped centralportion longitudinally and centrally disposed and divided into threesections arranged in different planes, the end sections arranged in ahigher plane than the central portion, swinging dumping-doors pivotallysecured to such A- shaped central portions with their free endsextending outwardly therefrom, means for raising and lowering suchdumping bottom portions into and out of position so as to hold .or dumpthe freight to each side of the track,

movable bulkheads arranged when in closed position to divide the spacebetween the side and end boards into two small compartmentsone at eachendto carry heavy length of the car and between the end boards formed ofan A-shaped central portion longitudinally and centrally disposed anddivided into three sections arranged in difierent planes, the endsections being in a higher plane than the central portion, swingingdumping-doors pivotally secured to such A-.

shaped central portions with their free ends extending outwardlytherefrom, means for raising and lowering such dumping bottom portionsinto and out of position so as to carry or dump the freight to each sideof the tracks, swinging bulkheads pivotallysecurcd to the sides of thecar so as to be swung into closed position and form small compartmentsover the higher A-shaped portions and the usual car-trucks for thecarrying of heavy freight therein and when swung back against the sidesof the car to form a single large dumping-compartment for the carryingof light bulky freight, and bolt mechanism for locking and holding thebulkheads in their closed position, substantially as described.

HARRY STILLSON HART. Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY I. CROMER.

